Govt to increase garda visibility

Justice Minister John O’Donoghue has announced plans to put an extra 500 Gardai on the streets of Irish towns to combat the high level of public order offences being reported.

The minister said he hopes to reduce such offences by increasing the visibility of the gardai.

He said the Government will recruit civilians to do desk jobs in garda stations, thereby increasing the number of officers available to do street patrols.